Car-coupling



(No Model.) A

D. J. SUMMERS.

CAR GOUPLING. l No. 333,172. Patented De'o. 29, 1885.

Vaff N. PETERS Phalo'Lilhngrnpher, Walhingnn, D4 C UNITED STivri-sPATENT OFFICE,`

DANIEL J. SUMMERS, OF WAYNESBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,172, dated December29. 1885.

Application led September 7, 1885. Serial No. 176,236. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

'Be it known that I, DANIEL J. SUMMERs, of Waynesborough, in the countyof Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Car- Couplers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertins tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings.

On the l-ilhof May, 1878, Letters Patent for an improvement incar-couplings was issued to J. B. Raby and myself, in which aspringcushioned buffer served to lock and release at the proper time, apivoted link, which latter,whenv released from its locked position forcoupling, was adapted to drop over a horn or hook onthe oppositedraw-head. Y

The object of my presentin'vention is to provide a car-coupling adaptedto operate upon the same general principles as the one referred toabove, but so modified as to render it more practicable, simpler, andbetter adapted to general use in connection with cars supplied with theordinary link or other styles of couplin s.

ith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of the coupling inlongitudinal vertical section, showing itin locked adjustment, and alsoshowing in dotted lines the position of the hook-link in its elevatedadjustment, ready for coupling; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of one sectionof the coupling.

A A represent a pair of draw-heads adapted to be coupled together. Theyare of the same form and construction, their shanks a being preferablyhollow, and aslight as is consistent with the required strength. Themeeting ends of the draw-heads are provided with vertical open slots B,the ends of the branches of the draw-head on each side of the slot beingenlarged, as shown at b. The inside faces of the branches are providedwith channel-grooves C, extending from the ends b back to a cross tie orplate, D, cast integral with the drawhead. A spring-cushioned buffer,consisting of a pair of heads, E, having a pair of guides,` e, formedintegral therewith and adapted to t and slide within the ygrooves VC,the rearn ends of the guides c being connected by a crosstie, F, isprovided with guide-studs f, project-` ing from the back faces of theheads E, adapted to fit in sockets G, formed in the ends b, which serveto steady the buffer in its sliding movement. The ends of the cross-tieF, at points nut d.' on the innerend of the bolt H. A crosspin, I,extends through thev branches of the draw-head in the rearof theends band above the grooves C, being' located about midway between the upperand lower edges of the branches of the draw-head. Slight recesses z' areformed on the inner faces of the branches to admit adjusting-collars kor the hubs of the vertically-swinging section L of the couplinghook.The section L consists of a strong piece of metal terminating at one endin a pair of arms, Z, adapted to embrace snugly the crosspin I and notturnv thereon, and at the other end in a pair of transverse jaws, Z',between which the laterally-s winging section M of the coupling-hook ispivotally secured by an ordinary coupling-pin, m. The ends of the arms Zterminate in upwardly-extending noses Z2, adapted to engage the hooks gwhen the coupling-hook L M is in elevated adjustment, and the shape ofthe hook g and the nose Z2 is such that when the coupling-hook iselevated the nose Z2 will act as a cam in engagement with the hook g andwill force the hook g backwardly until the nose Z2 comes into engagementwith notch of the hook, which will then, through the tension of thespring K, lock the coupling-pin in elevated adjustment.

Suppose two cars provided with the abovedescribed couplings to beapproaching each other for the purpose of coupling, one of the ICOcoupling-hooks will be dropped into the position shown; .inconnectionwith the Vdraw-head A, and the other will be elevated and automaticallylocked in the position shown by dotted lines in connection with thedraw-head A. When the two buffers E come in contact, the hook g will beslid back out of engagement with the vcouplinghook L M, and the latterwill fall into the position shown in Fig. l, hooked over the cross-pin Iof the draw-head A', the cross-pin I thus forming both a pivotal supportfor the coupling-hook and a locking-pin' for the opposite hook. Theslanting faces shown on the buffers E and their longitudinal play admitof the cars assuming the angular positions with respect to each otherrequired in passing around a curve, while the laterally and verticallyswinging couplinghooks will assume all the different positions 'whichmay be required in coupling cars of different heights, turning curves,Sie. The verticall'y swinging section LA of the couplinghook, when thesection'M is removed, is particularly convenient in`.eoup ling thereto acar .provided with one of the ordinary link-andpin', couplings, since itwillvadj ust itself to such an angle as to admit a 'straight link eitherfrom acar higher or lower than itself, doing away with the necessity ofselecting 'a goose neck link.

Thencross-'pin I, working loosely in the branches of the draw-head andhaving the'` section L secured thereom'is adapted to be ro- `rated toelevate the coupling-hook by a side lever (not'shown) pivotally securedin its bifurcated head n, or other approved devices may be employed, asfound most convenient. Having fully described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters i Patent, is-- a twolbra'uchdraw-head and a cross-pin loosely secured in the branches, of acoupling-hook consisting of a vertically-swinging section secured on thecross-pin between the branches of the draw head, and a laterally-swinging l section pivotally secured in the free end of the aforesaidsection, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the two-branch draw-head andthe verticallyswinging coupling-hook secured between the branchesof thespri 11g-actuated double-headed buffer adapted to slide in channelsformed in the branches of the draw-head, and provided; with a'hookadapted to engage the shank of4 the ycouplinghool'and hold the same in apo.

sition for coupling, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination, withv` lthe two branch draw-headand the verticallyswinging coupling-hook,ofthespring-actuated bufferadapted to lock and release the coupling hook, and provided with guidestuds :adapted to work in sockets in the draw-head and steady thesliding movement of the buffer, substantially as set forth.

` In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscrib` ing witnesses. l

DANIEL J. SUMMERS. Witnesses:

D. M. Gooi), Jr., C. E. BEsoRE.

